Folding ironing board



mmdm

April 8, 1941. s. F. SLAWSKII FOLDING IRONING BOARD Filed Feb. 6, 1940 INVENTOR. SZE'PHE/V E 514144570 ATTOENE'X Patented Apr. &, 1941 Ni'iED STATES PATENT OFFICE FOLDING IRONING BOARD Stephen F. Slawski, Culver City, Calif.

Application February 6, 1940, Serial No. 317,552

4 Claims.

The invention relates itO a folding ironing board and in certain respects is an improvement over the construction shown in my U. S. Patent Reissue #18223, dated October 6, 1931. That patent discloses a construction wherein provisions are made for pivotally mounting the ironing board for movement to various angular positions in a horizontal plane, so that the ironing board need not project at right angles to the ironing board compartment when the board is in use. One of the objects of the present invention is to provide a greater angle through which the ironing board may be adjusted in a horizontal plane.

Another object of the invention is to provide a folding ironing board support which permits the ironing board to be swung in a horizontal plane to positions substantially parallel with the wall at either side of the ironing board compartment.

When a load such as ironing pressure or a weight such as clothes or the iron is placed on the outer end of certain types of boards heretofore proposed, there is a tendency for the board to shear at the point where it is pivotally connected to its support.

Another object of the invention is to increase the strength of the connection between the ironing board and its adjustable support, so that a greater load may be carried by the ironing board without damage to the portion of the ironing board which is connected to its support. Preferably, this is accomplished while permitting.

increased angular adjustability of the board, and/or while permitting a board to be locked in any angular position, throughout a wide angle.

Fig. 1 is a view in elevation of a folding ironing board according to the invention, showing the board housed in a cabinet.

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the board support of Fig. 1 with the cabinet broken away and the ironing board removed and showing the support swung out from the cabinet.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged vertical sectional view, with parts broken away, of the support of Figs. 1 and 2 with a board in horizontal position on the support.

Fig. 4 is plan view partly in section on line 1-4 of Fig. 3 showing the wide angle through which the board may be moved in a horizontal plane.

The ironing board I when not in use is adapted to be swung to a vertical position inside of the compartment 2 of a wall cabinet 3 having a door 4. The end 5 of the board I which is adjacent the cabinet 3 is preferably rounded as shown at E (Fig. 4) and terminates in front of the cabinet 3 when the board I is in a horizontal position as shown in Fig. 4.

The board I is supported by a plate or support I in the form of a grid and having oppositely extending hinge members comprising legs 8 and 9 terminating in trunnions Iil and II respectively which are journaled in apertures in the opposite sides of the cabinet 3, or in bearing plates I4 and I5 respectively in the opposite sides of the cabinet 3. The central portion of the legs 8 and 9 is preferably removed or left hollow as indicated, to reduce weight. The legs 8 and 9 merge with the plate I, the periphery of which preferably comprises a ring It as shown. The ring [6 has in the center thereof an aperture I8 for a pivot pin II) which passes through the board I and which forms a pivot about which the board I may be moved in a horizontal plane. The pivot pin I9 forms a pivot point which is positioned a substantial distance beyond the front of the cabinet as shown in Fig. 4, and as the end 5 of the board I also terminates beyond the front of the cabinet 3, the board I may be swung through a very wide angle such as degrees in a horizontal plane. The bearing or socket I1 is connected to and supported by the ring I6 by radial ribs 25, 2i, and 22. On its underside, the socket H has a recessed portion 23 to house a nut 24 which secures the pivot pin I9 to the board I.

In order to clamp the board I in its adjusted angular position and also to reduce the shearing stress on the board I adjacent pivot pin I9 when a load is placed on the outer end of the board I, there is provided a clamp 25 adjacent the inner end 5 of the board I. The clamp 25 is positioned back of the pivot pin I9 1. e., between the pivot pin I9 and the inner end 5 of the board I.

The clamp 25 therefore acts through a greater lever arm than the pivot pin 19 in resisting downward pressure on the outer end of the board as it tends to move downwardly about the front edge of plate I as a pivot point, as the clamp 25 is farther away from that pivot point than is the pivot pin [9, Clamp 25 is mounted in an aperture 26 in board I substantially in line with the center line of board I, so that clamp 25 is centered with board I for all angular adjustments of the board I. Clamp 25 has a wing nut 21 above the board I and a head or shank 23 which rides in a semi-circular groove or recess 29 formed by the half of ring I6 which is behind or at the back of the pivot aperture I8 and the semi-circular rib or ring 30 which merges with ring "5 at diametrically opposite points on a diameter parallel with the front of cabinet 3. The locking rings [6 and 3&1 are concentric with the pivot pin [9, and form a supporting surface for the board I.

While other means may be employed for supporting the plate or support I in a horizontal position, I prefer to use the sliding bracket 31 comprising a U shaped rod terminating in trunnions BI and 32 which like trunnions l and H are pivotally mounted in the side walls of cabinet 3 or in bearing plates It and I5. Bracket 31 has a straight middle portion 33 (Fig. 1) which rides in a slot 36 (Fig. 3) the upper plane of which is formed by the under side of plate 1 Le. by the under side of ribs 29, 2|, 22, socket l1, rings I53 and 30, and the lower plane of which is formed by the upper surface of the depending and diverging ribs 34 and 35. The lower end of pin If) (i. e. head or nut) is housed in socket or recess 23 so as not to obstruct slot 36. The outer ends of ribs 34 and 35 merge with ring l6 while the inner ends thereof merge with ring 30.

Various modifications may be made in the in vention without departing from the spirit of the following claims. For example, the end of board I need not be rounded, so long as it passes the corners of cabinet 3, plate 7 need not be a grid and need not be circular. Also, other means may be employed for supporting the plate for hinge movement and for supporting it in a horizontal position.

I claim:

1. An ironing board support comprising a body portion adapted to support an ironing board, leg members on said body portion to permit mounting said body portion for swinging the board into and out of a compartment, a pivot on an intermediate portion of said body portion for pivotally supporting the board for angular movement in a horizontal plane, spaced ribs underneath said body portion and extending rearwardly from the front of said body portion and forming a brace slot extending across said pivot, said body member having portions thereof spaced apart and forming a clamp slot in back of said pivot concentric therewith, the inner ends of said ribs reinforcing one of said portions defining said clamp slot.

2. An ironing board bracket comprising an outer ring member, leg members on said outer ring member and terminating in trunnions, a

pivot member at the center of said outer ring member, an inner ring merging at its ends with the inside of said outer ring member and forming with said outer ring member a slot concentric with said pivot member, ribs extending from said pivot member to both of said rings, and other ribs forming a slot under said bracket, said other ribs being connected at their outer ends to said outer ring member and at their inner ends to said inner ring.

3. An ironing board bracket according to claim 2 wherein said inner ring merges with said outer ring member on opposite sides of said outer ring member to form substantially a semi-circular slot inside the back half of said outer ring member.

4. An ironing board structure including a bracket as set forth in claim 2, an ironing board having a clamp movable in said concentric slot, and a brace pivoted at its lowerportion and having its upper portion slidable in said slot under said bracket as said ironing board is tilted about its pivot on said trunnions.

STEPHEN F. SLAWSKI. 

